Page 124 of You Betrayed Me (The Cahills 3)

Oh. God.

Go away! Just go away!

Jesus Christ, she was surrounded!

Willow’s heart leapt to her throat.

The shepherd began to whine louder, advancing slowly, tail low.

Her insides turned to water.

She couldn’t outrun him, even if her ankle wasn’t throbbing, her bruised shin on fire. And where would she flee to? Backward to whatever danger was lurking beyond the trees?

Please, dog, just let me be!

She tried to pull back, duck away.

Too late!

The dog bolted.

Growling and snarling, he came, running straight at her.

No! No! No!

Willow braced herself.

A piercing whistle cut through the night.

Then the sharp command, “Ralph! Come!”

She waited, shivering, rooted to the spot.

“Leave the damned squirrels, would ya?”

James ordered.

The dog whined but didn’t round the shed.

“Come!” This time louder. More authoritative.

Oh, please . . .

She waited.

Nothing.

Swallowing hard, she took a quick glance around the edge of the shed.

James was on the porch, his long frame silhouetted in the faint light from a single bulb. “That’s it. You come on, now. It’s freezing out here.”

Willow pulled back.

The dog whined plaintively.

“Leave it!” James ordered, his voice firm.

Willow’s heart was beating so fast she thought it might fly out of her chest. A nervous sweat chilled her face. What would she do if James decided to investigate why his dog was behaving oddly? What if, at this moment, he was walking this way and she’d have to explain herself? Could she say that she’d just come by to check on things after she and Sophia had put the house together? Would he buy that she left rather than bother him? She squeezed her eyes shut for a second and heard the sound of keys jangling, then the creak of a door opening.

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